Southview Community Garden a hit in year one

By Mo Cranker on September 10, 2018.

mcranker@medicinehatnews.com @MHNmocranker

A few months ago Southview Community School opened its community garden for the first time — months later, it has become an important piece of the school.

“We have been very pleased with how the garden has turned out in its first summer,” said principal Todd Samuelson. “It’s being maintained by a number of people and I know a few different people have harvested it — we’ve been really happy with it.”

With a new school year underway, Samuelson says the school plans to integrate the garden into the classroom in more way than one.

“The ladies cooking food at our school will have access to some of the things we’re growing out here, so the students will get to interact with the garden in that way, by eating some of the things we grow,” he said. “We’re also allowing teachers to bring some classes out here during the day to harvest some of the vegetables growing.

“I think the seed-to-table perspective is important for the kids to see. Not everyone knows where their food comes from, so this garden gives us yet another way of teaching these kids.”

The garden boasts a number of vegetables and herbs and has produced plenty of tomatoes and watermelons so far.

“The community is really backing it,” he said. “We’re lucky to have great families around our school that are willing to work with us on this project, and our Parent Link group is also doing a lot of work.

“It’s just a great for us to have this.”

Samuelson says the school is working on an indoor garden as well as some upgrades on the outdoor garden to keep animals away from the fresh goods.

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